Acceleration problem

[Lloyd]

It looks like  the wire on Eds link, from NAPA is the wire from the distributor terminal to the points. The broken wire you need and the wire Greg is referring to is the ground wire from the distributor base to the breaker plate..

[Joe Flanagan]

Yeah, I noticed that. There are actually two broken wires in my distributor, the one from the breaker plate to the base and the one from the points to the distributor terminal. 

Edited April 9, 2015 by Joe Flanagan

[Joe Flanagan]

I replaced both broken wires and the missing clip and the car now runs great. Very smooth acceleration. I was going to take it on a long trip tomorrow but I think I'll hold off and just stick to local errands until I'm sure everything's good. 

[greg g]

Joe, hope you will give some serious consideration to joining us on the August tour in the HV. Chet has it on his calendar, maybe you can roust Rodney up also.

[Lloyd]

Glad to hear that was it. Thanks for letting us follow the repair.

[Young Ed]

I replaced both broken wires and the missing clip and the car now runs great. Very smooth acceleration. I was going to take it on a long trip tomorrow but I think I'll hold off and just stick to local errands until I'm sure everything's good. 

What did you use for the 2 wires?

[Joe Flanagan]

Ed I ordered the wire from NAPA. They come five to a package. They didn't have the right kind of terminals on them but the wire is very thin and flexible. I cut a couple of them to length and put small ring terminals on them. I checked their movement while moving the breaker plate and the look good.

Greg, what is the HV?

[Young Ed]

Ed I ordered the wire from NAPA. They come five to a package. They didn't have the right kind of terminals on them but the wire is very thin and flexible. I cut a couple of them to length and put small ring terminals on them. I checked their movement while moving the breaker plate and the look good.

Greg, what is the HV?

 

Thanks Joe good to know. I was wondering if you had used one for both types.

I may order myself a pack just to have on hand.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Young Ed

[greg g]

Hudson valley area. Look at the summer event planning thread pinned to the top of the forum.

[Joe Flanagan]

OK. That would be one heck of a shake down cruise for my '49.

[greg g]

Hopefully you will have it fully sorted and in top nick by then.

[Young Ed]

Joe it doesn't seem quite right to thank you for bringing this up but at the same time I am glad it came up. On Saturday I was going to take the 46 pickup for a little trip. Started up just fine moved about 2feet backwards and died. Couldn't get it to restart. Put it on the battery charger and came back yesterday. Found that same little wire in the dist had worn through against the side. So truck fixed with electrical tape so I could still make it to our Plymouth club meeting and new wires are on order

[Merle Coggins]

Here's one with different terminals. Would this one have worked better for you, Joe?

I'm thinking about getting some myself, just in case.

 

http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/Distributor-Lead-Wire-Primary/_/R-ECHLW60_0460686252#largeProductImageWrapper

 

Or this one? http://www.napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogItemDetail.aspx/Distributor-Lead-Wire-Primary/_/R-ECHLW33_0460685958#largeProductImageWrapper

 

I am planning to check my points and timing tonight anyway. I guess I'll look closely at my wires and make a determination from there.

 

Merle

Edited April 13, 2015 by Merle Coggins

[Joe Flanagan]

Well, I'm glad the experience could help someone, Ed. Glad to hear you got it straightened out. Merle, the first part you link to might work but I don't think the second one would. There is so little space inside that distributor that the terminals on the NAPA wire interfere with the other parts in there. Whether the first one would work depends on the size of the terminals at either end. Also, the wire is too long to work, or at least it was in my case, so I had to cut it to length. But it is just the right thickness to flex as the breaker plate moves. I couldn't find any other wire that was thin enough. The wire I used originally was too thick and eventually broke. I used the smallest ring terminals I could find and they worked fine. As I mentioned, the part comes five to a box (costs about 4 bucks). I was thinking of making up a couple of extras and keeping them in my glove box in case of emergency. By the way, on Saturday I drove the car 30 miles and didn't have any trouble at all.

[Young Ed]

I'm glad we got ours on order before you buy them all. Ours are coming out of Virginia!

[Ulu]

 . . .Found that same little wire in the dist had worn through against the side. So truck fixed with electrical tape so I could still make it to our Plymouth club meeting and new wires are on order. . .

 

We bought a good running used car for $35 once because that wire shorted out during the test drive and caught the wiring harness on fire. I had to re-wire the engine though.

[Jerry Roberts]

Here is an interesting tune up package that includes the pesky little wire . The wire in the photo is actually a used one as you can see that the insulation is starting to fray on one end . Since the wire is included in this package , i am thinking that it must have been common procedure to replace the wire . I bought this package on ebay a couple of years ago and it may not be available anywhere . 

[Joe Flanagan]

Wow, never seen that before. Everyone ought to have an extra in the glove box. In my case, though, I need a glove box.

[Joe Flanagan]

Yesterday one of my refabricated  wires inside the distributor broke, stranding me about a block from my house. Luckily it didn't happen during my trip to Philadelphia, which was going to be Sunday but which I've now scrapped. I used the wire that came with the NAPA part Young Ed posted but used very small ring terminals so it would work in my distributor. It seems the wire is still too stiff to withstand the flexing that goes on inside the distributor. What have you guys used that actually works? 

[Young Ed]

Yesterday one of my refabricated  wires inside the distributor broke, stranding me about a block from my house. Luckily it didn't happen during my trip to Philadelphia, which was going to be Sunday but which I've now scrapped. I used the wire that came with the NAPA part Young Ed posted but used very small ring terminals so it would work in my distributor. It seems the wire is still too stiff to withstand the flexing that goes on inside the distributor. What have you guys used that actually works? 

 

Now you've got me scared. I am using one in my truck. I put a ring terminal one 1 end and left the other one as is. Where did yours break?

[Joe Flanagan]

Right where the wire connects to the ring terminal. I guess that's where all the flexing happens. I'm wondering if I can find something thinner. I don't think I can use anything that has no insulation because chances are it will touch something inside the distributor. Also, it was the wire that connects to the points that broke. The other is intact but I will be replacing that one too if I can find a suitable wire. There's a possibility I didn't crimp it well enough and it just pulled free of the ring terminal. I haven't pulled the distributor yet for a closer look but will let you know if that's the case. 

Edited May 15, 2015 by Joe Flanagan

[nonstop]

I had that problem a few times - I eventually took the junction block off the side and replaced the wire going to the points with one off a newer distributor. The later distributors didn't have the block going through the side of the distributor and the lead from the points went directly to the coil.

[Young Ed]

Joe I soldered the end I changed. The other I left as is.

[Joe Flanagan]

I had that problem a few times - I eventually took the junction block off the side and replaced the wire going to the points with one off a newer distributor. The later distributors didn't have the block going through the side of the distributor and the lead from the points went directly to the coil.

So you remove the block and just run your new wire right through the hole in the side of the distributor?

[Jeff Balazs]

Every time I read comments like these it makes me glad I switched over to the Pertronix Ignitor and matched coil set up. It is a very effective way to eliminate a few common weak spots in these systems. I am sure that back in the day when OEM parts were of a consistent quality these sorts of issues were less common. But with todays parts situation and frantic traffic the last thing you need is a marginal ignition system. Do yourselves a favor and consider this upgrade. It is essentially a fit and forget fix for these sorts of problems.

Jeff.